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Estimated reading time is 6 minutes.
Estimated reading time is 6 minutes.
Do you have suspicions that a friend or family member is involved in a romance scam? Do you ever wonder why people fall for romance scams?
Unfortunately, it’s often the most vulnerable and lonely people in our community that fall for these scams. It’s also unlikely that people will be able to self-identify that they have become a victim.
Even with all the awareness in the community, romance scams are still a growing issue.
According to Scamwatch, in 2018 there were 3,981 reported romance scam cases which cost Australians a total of $24 million. While this figure may seem high, this is just what gets reported; many victims never make a report due to fear or embarrassment.
At 67 years old, Grace*, who had been widowed for five years, stayed connected with her family and friends through Facebook as all her children lived interstate. She found she could join groups and play games via the social media channel. One day during a game of ‘Words with Friends’, her opponent sent her a message asking how her day was. This interaction was the start of what Grace thought was an exciting new romance.
“It started very innocently,” Grace advised from her New South Wales home. “On the first day, we just chatted and said ‘hi, how was your day’ and arranged a time to play again the next day. Over the next few games, he told me his name was Malcom James, he was in the US Military, and was based in Iraq. He also said he felt quite lonely and was looking for some company”.
Over the next 18 months, the person claiming to be Malcom James drew Grace into what she thought was a loving relationship. It was in fact a scam leading to a series of escalating requests for money. This resulted in Grace’s life falling apart; she lost her entire life savings and went into significant debt.
Grace explains, “In those first few weeks he was so lovely, I could tell he really cared about me and we had a genuine connection. We would speak every day. He sent me poems, we shared pictures and he told me I was his ‘angel sent from heaven’. I just fell completely in love with him and we were soon discussing how we would build a life together once he was out of the Army. He said he was happy to move to Australia as he was a trained accountant, so he would easily get a job here.”
Grace continues, “When he first requested money, we were looking to book flights to Australia so he could visit me. He said his accounts and credit cards had been shut down due to a computer issue, so he needed me to send a wire transfer to Nigeria where he had been transferred. He was meant to be getting a big payout from the Army due to an injury, so I knew he was good for it. I just wanted to do anything I could to get him here. It never occurred to me that this could be a scam. We were in love so it all made sense at the time”.
One request for money turned into more than twenty, as Malcom encountered issue after issue trying to get to Australia. These included medical emergencies affecting him and his family, and legal battles with the Police.
Eighteen months into the relationship, Grace had sent a total of $374,000 to Malcom, and taken out a $35,000 loan against her house. The truth was finally revealed when Malcom mistakenly sent Grace an email intended for someone else called Sandra. The email contained almost six months’ worth of the exact same messages that Grace had received, from the same email address and name.
Grace shares, “I was in shock, I couldn’t believe it! When I questioned him on it, he sent me a message saying, “Looks like the game is up!”. I am heartbroken, in debt and have no savings left. This scam has ruined my life, I just want to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else”.
*Name has been changed for privacy reasons.
A combination of these red flags could indicate a friend or relative is involved in a scam:
You can find more information on Scamwatch
It can be difficult to convince a friend or relative that they're involved in a scam. Engaging the help of others can help.
Australian Government | Australian Cyber Security Centre and Stay Smart Online
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) brings cyber security capabilities from across the Australian Government together into a single location. It’s the hub for private and public sector collaboration and information sharing to combat cyber security threats. ACSC’s Stay Smart Online provides topical, relevant and timely information on how home internet users and small businesses can protect themselves from, and reduce the risk of, cyber security threats such as software vulnerabilities, online scams, malicious activities, and risky online behaviours.
Australian Government | ReportCyber
ReportCyber is a secure reporting and referral service for cybercrime and online incidents which may be in breach of Australian law. The ReportCyber website provides a cybercrime reporting mechanism as well as helpful information about cybercrime.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission | Scamwatch
Scamwatch provides information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report scams using publications, videos and other online resources.
Australian Government | Office of the eSafety Commissioner
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner provides online safety education for Australian children and young people, a complaints service for young Australians who experience serious cyberbullying, and address illegal online content.
Australian Government | Attorney-General’s Department
The Attorney-General’s Department website provides helpful information and resources about your rights and protections in regards to identity security, freedom of information and cyber security. The Department has developed a range of resources to assist people protect their identity and recover from the effects of identity crime.
IDCare
IDCare is Australia and New Zealand's not-for-profit counselling and support service set up to assist Australians impacted by identity theft and cyber-related crimes.
IDCare can assist NAB customers to navigate through the process when identity details or credentials have been compromised through fraud or scams. IDCare is a free service for all Australians.
Social media can provide others with access to your personal world. Make sure you're only sharing what you want to share.
The internet is full of information, but it can also be dangerous. Learn how to keep your family safe online.
Your identity is your most valuable asset. Protect it. Your freedom depends on it.
Be on the lookout for suspicious messages and avoid being a target of cyber-criminals.
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